Stock tank pond help

[JenH]

So I picked up a galvanized stock tank and I have a filter and UV light that was given to me. The filter is supposed to filter 1000 gallons, but I know how this stuff never seems to do as well as they say. I've posted a pic of what filter it is, and I'm hoping you guys can give me suggestions on how to boost its power? Different media? Different foam? Leave it like it is? Etc. Also, from my understanding of how this thing works it needs to be above the water level of the 'pond'. Any suggestions for a cheap and stable way to elevate this thing above the stock tank and still make it look good?

Last but not least, any suggestions for how to put plants in my stock tank? Plants like water iris, pennywort, chameleon plant and water forget me nots. Do you know of any baskets I can get to hang from interior sides? or a way to float these plants? I don't really want to take away from swimming area for the fish by filling it with a bunch of plant stands.

I know this isn't ideal, I have no other choice right now. My koi are still in my old pond, and my soon to be ex-husband is intentionally killing them. I moved out a month ago. 3 are dead now.

Please give me as inexpensive of ideas as you can think of. I'm super limited.

Thanks everyone!!

 

[revchristinejday]

It's common to put such a filter up on bricks or blocks next to the stock tank and use the out flows as a "waterfalls" back in to the tank. Then just surround the bricks with potted plants!

How many gallons is the stock tank? And how many and what size fish are going into the stock tank? That will determine the gallons/hour size pump that would be best. However that will be tempered by the UV light. For example a 9 watt UV works best with a pump that is about 250 gallons/hour. Any more gallons and there is not enough time for the UV to work the water before going to the filter. (Set-up is pump in water to UV usually on land unless submersible to filter)

For media, coarse mechanical filter or sponge material on the top, then bio balls, ceramic bit-type for biological on the lower level.

You could probably find at the dollar store some plastic or metal type of narrow holders meant for sinks sponges and sponges to corral the floating plants. Or you could just let them float, Water irises are more bog-type plants needing only a shallow depth of water. Check-out DIY for other ideas of floating planters.

Good luck!

 

[Usman]

hi , welcome hope ur ok , u can add gravell if its cheaper or k1 bio balls whatever is easy , and foam pads,cubes used fr cleaning , i use filter fabric if its available. u can place it on bricks or sand heap , if its new , then if u can find fish store ask them for bacteria from old filter.
Rocks plants around it for hiding it
whats height of pond? U can add floating plants or ad a brick in corner on top add few pots,or u can hang pots in sides from outside

 

[Sarcasticshrub]

Depends on the size of the tank. I made a small water garden for my folks and it only uses a small pump with some quilt batting over the intake. It's been clear and easy to maintain by cleaning the batting every once in a while. No other filtration, besides the batting and the plants. it gets around 6 hours of sun and has a few small Comets. Pict is from Mothers day 2016:

 

[JenH]

As you can see from the picture I attached there is a bottom tray which has some type of gravel in it, similar to but a little bit larger than what you typically put in fish tanks. And then it has a handful of media that is this white hollow cylinder type thing that feels a little like lava rock, but is smooth. above that tray is an orange-yellowish colored filter mat, and then another tray above that filled with more of that gravel. Neither tray is very full, mostly just enough to cover the bottom of the tray. I don't believe it has anywhere near enough media for this thing to filter at it's full capability. So if you have any suggestions for what the very best media would be to get maximum surface area for bacteria that would be great. Having a bog system for my pond, leaves me in pretty unfamiliar territory with this mechanical stuff. I definitely want plants that will aid in filtration like the water iris, because I need to keep my koi in here. It's not by any means a permanent home for them, but will need to suffice for a few months, probably through winter at least. The pump, UV and filter were given to me by a previous pond owner, he had a much bigger pond than my stock tank, and he used these three items together so I hope they're all compatible, but I don't know the size of any of it other than the filter.

By floating, I meant a way to float the iris and other bog plants up at the surface of the water, so that the fish could still swim beneath them, not floating plants like hyacinth. I'm not going to use any of that here because it multiplies so fast I would constantly have to be throwing it out. I probably will put my water lily in there. I thought I saw on here once a long time ago where someone created a floating island of bog plants in the center of their pond and I was looking for something like that scaled down.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

As you can see from the picture I attached there is a bottom tray which has some type of gravel in it, similar to but a little bit larger than what you typically put in fish tanks. And then it has a handful of media that is this white hollow cylinder type thing that feels a little like lava rock, but is smooth. above that tray is an orange-yellowish colored filter mat, and then another tray above that filled with more of that gravel. Neither tray is very full, mostly just enough to cover the bottom of the tray. I don't believe it has anywhere near enough media for this thing to filter at it's full capability. So if you have any suggestions for what the very best media would be to get maximum surface area for bacteria that would be great. Having a bog system for my pond, leaves me in pretty unfamiliar territory with this mechanical stuff. I definitely want plants that will aid in filtration like the water iris, because I need to keep my koi in here. It's not by any means a permanent home for them, but will need to suffice for a few months, probably through winter at least. The pump, UV and filter were given to me by a previous pond owner, he had a much bigger pond than my stock tank, and he used these three items together so I hope they're all compatible, but I don't know the size of any of it other than the filter.

By floating, I meant a way to float the iris and other bog plants up at the surface of the water, so that the fish could still swim beneath them, not floating plants like hyacinth. I'm not going to use any of that here because it multiplies so fast I would constantly have to be throwing it out. I probably will put my water lily in there. I thought I saw on here once a long time ago where someone created a floating island of bog plants in the center of their pond and I was looking for something like that scaled down.

http://www.watergarden.org/Pond-Supplies/Floating-Island-Planters

 

[haver79]

They do make pot hangers that you can hook to the side. Found some here at Menards. They are not made for a stock tank but they work well. Dont have a picture handy.
They are plastic coated wire. Pecan made a neat floating island from pink foam from box store. She doctored it up and it looked nice. You could make a smaller version.
I believe she cut holes in it big enough for the pots to sit down into the water.
Love the stock tank you made for your parents Sarcasticshrub.

 

[HARO]

I use the same filter on the display pond at the garden center. The best system I've come up with is this: Place filter wool (batting, or anything similar) in the top tray. This will catch most of the crud from fish wastes, etc. The foam mat goes in the middle, and traps finer stuff, keeping it off the bio-media in the bottom tray. For this I use Laguna bio-balls, since these are MUCH easier to rinse than the terracotta that comes with the filter. The top tray can be lifted and hosed off periodically, but when it gets REALLY bad, I take everything apart, rinse it and re-assemble. One word of warning.... It CAN get a bit messy!
John

 

[Usman]

I use the same filter on the display pond at the garden center. The best system I've come up with is this: Place filter wool (batting, or anything similar) in the top tray. This will catch most of the crud from fish wastes, etc. The foam mat goes in the middle, and traps finer stuff, keeping it off the bio-media in the bottom tray. For this I use Laguna bio-balls, since these are MUCH easier to rinse than the terracotta that comes with the filter. The top tray can be lifted and hosed off periodically, but when it gets REALLY bad, I take everything apart, rinse it and re-assemble. One word of warning.... It CAN get a bit messy!
John

Yes it makes sense i do similar just ihave added Extra sponge foam on top bcz its easiest to clean just rince and squeez and its small , my filter wool is too long like towel size lol
I had this quEstion in mind , when i clean fabric wool and bio gravel , how much do we need to clean bcz the brown wwter with mud is bacteria rich and it keeps on coming , so is it safe to clean alot , it grows back?

 

[HARO]

I just dump the bio-balls into a pail or large flower pot and hose it off with a watering hose (good pressure). Don't overdo it. Enough biofilm remains to keep the filter going. In eleven years I've never had a problem.
John

 

[JenH]

Thank you all so much for your responses. I will look for those hooks at Menards he next time I'm over there, and those floating planters are exactly what I was picturing! Thanks!!

 

[budgenator]

I don't know about using a galvanized stock tank
"Zinc toxicity is a medical condition involving an overdose on, or toxic overexposure to, zinc. Such toxicity levels have been seen to occur at ingestion of greater than 225 mg of zinc.[1] Excessive absorption of zinc can suppress copper and iron absorption. The free zinc ion in solution is highly toxic to bacteria, plants, invertebrates, and even vertebrate fish.[2]"
just seems like asking for trouble. Anybody with specific knowledge on this subject?

 

[sharpchick]

I don't know about using a galvanized stock tank
"Zinc toxicity is a medical condition involving an overdose on, or toxic overexposure to, zinc. Such toxicity levels have been seen to occur at ingestion of greater than 225 mg of zinc.[1] Excessive absorption of zinc can suppress copper and iron absorption. The free zinc ion in solution is highly toxic to bacteria, plants, invertebrates, and even vertebrate fish.[2]"
just seems like asking for trouble. Anybody with specific knowledge on this subject?

I don't have specific knowledge on your quote, but I have used a galvanized stock tank pond for goldfish for four years now. They are doing fine. The filter is a bog filter, and in the summer it stays full of plants, so maybe that helps.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

I don't know about using a galvanized stock tank
"Zinc toxicity is a medical condition involving an overdose on, or toxic overexposure to, zinc. Such toxicity levels have been seen to occur at ingestion of greater than 225 mg of zinc.[1] Excessive absorption of zinc can suppress copper and iron absorption. The free zinc ion in solution is highly toxic to bacteria, plants, invertebrates, and even vertebrate fish.[2]"
just seems like asking for trouble. Anybody with specific knowledge on this subject?

First, it depends on the type (and quality) of the galvanizing process.
Secondly, the toxicity of Zinc, as with all Heavy Metal, declines as Water Hardness increases.
The US EPA states that the 96hour LC50 for Zinc in Carp is 7800 micrograms/L or 7.8 mg/L at a Water Hardness of 50-55.(Goldfish is similar) This is actually quite high but could occur under the right conditions.

 

[bettasngoldfish]

I would think that a stock tank made for watering livestock would be safe for fish.

I have never used one for fish but I have seen others use them without a problem.